Wolf Amongst the Hunt
by mujoona
Summary: Response to Whitetigerwolf's monsterous challenge, fem!harry acacia potter has gone through a lot in her 9 years of life but all that is soon to change along with her understanding of what she is. Femslash Fem!harry/Thalia Fem!Hunter!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, to all my readers this is a story to hopefully fit in with Whitetigerwolf's Monsterous challenge. It is FemHarry and will with 95% probability be femslash if not it just won't have romance, also don't expect much of the harry potter world in this because there likely won't be also nothing godly that isn't greek/roman and even so mostly focusing on greek because the truth is I only finished PJO and read part of HoO never touched the stuff about egyptians and norse and what not and whatever else there is so definitely none of that hope you enjoy. Also the Authors note at bottom will get like... mildly spoilery so yeah nothing too specific honestly, its mostly going to be about the pairing.**

* * *

Acacia potter was having a wonderful day.

It was the start of a new school year which means she had a new teacher, one who was new to their school, so she'd never heard the things Dudley and the other Dursley's spread around about her, wasn't like the other teachers who'd ignore what Dudley did. So for once she'd had a peaceful day at school, one where she wasn't teased or pushed or hit, one where no one did anything to her during lunch and she was able to eat in peace.

She should've known it wouldn't last.

It happened after Uncle Vernon got home. She'd been in her room, which was the cupboard under the stairs at the Dursley house. She'd recently been wondering if she'd keep fitting in there as she kept growing, though she thought it was unlikely that she would get that big she was already smaller than everyone else. At 121 cm she was about 10 cm smaller than the average height of her class and 7 cm shorter than the next shortest kid, this may not seem like much but when everyone is under 150 cm 10 of them were a lot. She was also 10 kilos below what she should be at that age too, of course this meant she was much much smaller than Dudley who she equated to a young killer whale.

She should've realized something was wrong when she heard someone stomping through the house. While Vernon and Dudley were by no means light footed, Dudley having shaken the house jumping up and down during tantrums before. However she should've noticed that these were decidedly different, not that this realization would help her a bit.

As she was wondering how big she'd get she was suddenly startled by her door flying open, a very purple-ish red faced Vernon Dursley standing there.

" Girl do you know where I've just come from?"

"W-work uncle?"

" No… I've come from the school, your teacher called me about Dudley, spouting some trash about how he and his friends were bullying you and how that sort of behavior was unacceptable. What have I told you about spreading lies like that."

" I-I didn't say anything to her sh-she just saw how Dudley was acti-" Acacia was shaking as she spoke, sitting on her bed, which was really just an old camping cot. She had been cut off by Vernon gripping her shoulder and violently pulling her up to her feet before slamming her against the doorframe, she closed her eyes and cried out in pain only opening them a few seconds later feeling blood drip down the back of her neck.

" WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT LYING TO ME YOU FREAK"

"P-please uncle." she groans, voice weak tears of pain streaming down her face.

" IT WASN'T ENOUGH THAT WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH YOUR FREAKISHNESS NOW YOU GO AND SABOTAGE DUDLEY" Vernon shouts before throwing her down to the ground.

Acacia only let out a whimper and even that was cut off by the cough of blood after uncle vernon kicked her on the side she was fairly certain that she had a few broken ribs some even puncturing her lungs.

" Vernon what's going on?" Aunt Petunia calls out from the stairs above the cupboard and gasps. " Vernon you'll kill the girl someone will ask questions."

" Bah she'll live and if she doesn't we'll say she ran away" Vernon says stepping out of the cupboard and a few steps back looking up at Petunia on the stairs.

Due to this shift in his attention failed to notice the changes taking place upon his niece. He failed to see how the shadows seemed to gather towards her fallen form, or how her red hair which before was fairly tidy and reached only the top of her shoulders grew into a wild mane of hair reaching the small of her back and became pitch black, her ears turning into black furry wolf like ones and a matching tail growing from her aptly named tail bone, or her eyes turning from emerald green to an almost glowing amber red.

No, the thing Vernon Dursley ever noticed, was the pain as his neck was bitten into, and his throat all but torn out, not even lasting long enough to hear the scream of his wife.

If someone were to ask Acacia what was going through her brain when she'd killed her uncle she honestly wouldn't have been able to respond. If someone had asked her what had gone through her brain before hand she'd tell them, it started off with fear, then pain, then even more fear, fear for her life. That had all given way to anger, a level of rage which she didn't believe was humanly possible, and considering what she learned later, it might not be. Then as quickly as that rage had come it had disappeared, or perhaps she had, that's what it had felt like to her, like she moved to the backseat her place taken over by an insurmountable darkness.

She had been worried that she'd be lost in that darkness forever, she honestly had thought she died for a moment before being brought back by one thing, the taste of her uncle's blood. This shocked her back into control of herself however much she wished it hadn't. After realizing what she'd just done she could barely move. Her heart was racing, body shaking, blood pumping so fast and loudly in her ears she couldn't even hear her aunt's screams. Worst of all she found that no matter how much she wanted to she couldn't throw up. No matter how much she wanted to rid her mouth of this taste, the taste of human blood she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

Because she enjoyed it. Despite all wishes to the contrary she could not deny it was the best taste she'd ever experienced. This realization is what made her feel sick, what made her collapse onto her knees, and disappear, slipping without trace through the shadows.

* * *

 **Hello again, hope you enjoyed that or at least found it interesting enough to follow. Now for pairings I'm a bit torn on either Artemis or Thalia which makes it pretty clear she'll join the hunters because I mean, the only other option is camp and as a collective, they're kind of assholes I mean seriously they were asses to tyson and while full monster he's a cyclopes who serve olympus and work the forges and all that plus he had a half brother there and the Hephaestus cabin who were nice to him, Acacia would never survive joining there if she'd even be allowed, so yeah Hunters it is, and like I said either Thalia or Artemis, Acacia will be about 13 and a half when she joins which would be at titans curse and I really don't care about age difference with Thalia because for one thing it's like I think the same age as Percy and there are plenty of ships with them and also because compared to Artemis's age difference or the age difference between any mortal and a god its like pathetic and as immortal hunters they'll have a while to mature. The second matter is parentage, willing to take suggestions on whether her monster parent is a regular Hellhound or ol' cerberus himself, regardless to say I will not be getting into the mechanics of how that happened and her parent if a hellhound will likely never appear and if cerberus still won't play any big role, partly because he is busy with the whole guarding the underworld thing and the when he had time to well have acacia goes into those whole mechanics I will not be mentioning. Furthermore she will be getting a Stygian iron weapon and a way for her to learn at least rudimentary magic likely a spell book/ grimmoire sort of deal and her weapon will be her focci for magic as well, currently thinking scythe just because that'd be cool and what not but I am totally open for suggestions, oh they do have to be melee weapons, she'll get a bow once she joins the hunt of course.**


	2. Chapter 2

Headmaster's office, Hogwarts. 4 years after Acacia's transformation.

Dumbledore entered his office with a weary sigh, this first week of september was always one of the most trying at hogwarts, only coming after NEWT and OWL testing. This day however more than others for it was a sad anniversary for the wizard, and a reminder of his own failure. He still remembered it as if it was yesterday. He had just retired to his office when all of his instruments set to monitor Acacia Potter started acting up, he was worried and so he'd floo called Arabella who was assigned there to keep an eye on the girl.

" _Arabella Figg's Household" Dumbledore called out throwing floo powder into his fireplace which he'd had made higher up for the purpose of floo calling, he can't just be crouching down on his knees if he wants to talk to someone at his age._

" _Albus is that you?" Figg's voice came out from the fire shortly followed by an image of her face._

" _Yes Arabella, I was calling to check up on Ms. Potter is everything alright with her?"_

" _Yes yes none of the dark detectors here have shown anything I imagine she's fi-" Mrs. Figg's face suddenly disappeared from the fireplace as though she stepped back from it. " Albus I just heard her Aunt's scream."_

" _I'll be right over Arabella." Dumbledore says before cutting off the floo connection and turning in place apparating into Mrs. Figg's house " Arabella stay here I'll be over to check on them, if at any point you are worried for your safety floo to my office." and with that Dumbledore turned around once more apparating into the Dursley residence._

The scene he'd found there still baffled him to this day, Vernon Dursley's body in front of the cupboard under the stairs in a pool of blood, a good chunk of his throat missing. Petunia in hysterics at the foot of the stairs looking at her husband's corpse. He had to use legilimency on her to find out what happened and what he learned chilled him to the core. He could not forgive himself for putting the young Ms. Potter in that household after seeing what they'd done to her. What puzzled him most was what happened to Vernon however, that unclear form that Petunia had seen attacking him, which looked nothing like Ms. Potter but could only be her and also the way she'd disappeared, for either that or her transformation itself had shed every charm on her, getting rid of the trace, his monitoring charms, and even the blood wards in the house had been shattered. He could only hope that wherever she was she was alright.

In the end Dumbledore had modified some memories and falsified some records and told the wizarding world that the girl who lived had died in an automobile accident that had also killed one of her guardians, both dead on impact. This would keep the wizarding world from looking for her, or worse, if they learnt of the truth it could inspire retribution crimes against muggles.

He had been worried, of course, about Voldemort. He truly hadn't believed him to be gone, and was afraid of what they could do without Acacia to fill in the role in the prophecy, but with every passing year where there was no news about him he had to come to the conclusion that the dark lord did fall that Halloween night 1981.

* * *

An entire ocean away in the forests of Northern Canada, Acacia Potter was also reminiscing, not about that night, no she always tried to push those thoughts away from her mind. Instead she was thinking about her next memory, that of when she awoke in the middle of the woods in what she later learned was Washington State.

She'd woken in the middle of the woods but the oddest part about it was what she had with her when she woke up. She'd been positively startled waking up next to a black scythe almost as tall as her, both shaft and blade made of some odd black metal. She'd later found out that the scythe had another form, it's shaft could shrink and the blade rotated so it was like an odd single handed curved sword with the edge on the inside of the curve ( similar to Dacian falx). Furthermore she had found a bag with a few supplies, mostly food rations and some clothes, which she was very happy about seeing as what she'd been wearing was horrible for being out in the woods as well as covered in blood.

She was a bit ashamed by the fact that once she'd seen that she was covered in blood and remembered the events prior she'd practically broken down, spiraling into depression and self loathing. She hadn't really gotten better about that, it still happening sometimes, never as bad as it was at first but she still had to strap herself in when she slept in the trees to not fall out during a nightmare. She'd found that moving around was the best way to avoid the painful memories and the issues that came with them.

It was only later that she'd found the odd book inside the bag and the note attached to it. The book she found out was a magic book, or at least part of it was, only the first chapter or so was written in english the other pages being written in an odd language which while she could not understand at times it felt like she could recognize it. The note attached to it was what puzzled her the most, it read as such.

 _Ms. Potter, thank you for bringing to my attention the issue of one Mr. Riddle, for your part in rectifying this matter I have given you a Grimoire and a weapon based on my own, which doubles as a magical focus. Until we undoubtedly meet again._

 _Θάνατος_

She was confused at first about…. honestly all of it. She still couldn't read the person's name as it was in the same language as most of her magic book, though whenever she read that name she got a fuzzy image of a man with black wings. Eventually she did figure out what the person meant by grimoire and magical focus, which she totally found awesome even if she suspected the things she could do with it were much much less than what she could if she could read the rest of the book. She did however learn the 4 spells that were in english which were to attract or " summon" things to her, repel or " banish" things as well as a spell for cleaning and for making a small fire, those latter 2 were definitely her most used ones. She also found out that the scythe only worked for magic in its fully extended form, not in sword form.

Much had changed for her in these past 4 years, not just her hair and eye color and the changed ears and new tail but she was also taller and not as thin, she was still on the small and petite side having grown only about 25 cm or so ( she's about 4'8" ) and had put some more meat on her bones, mostly muscle but also a healthy amount of fat even if she did still appear a bit thin it wasn't to the unhealthy level of her time at the Dursley's. She ate much better now than she did at the Dursley's sure in the beginning she'd occasionally go without food for a day or 2 as she wasn't good at hunting to begin with getting by mostly on various plants which she seemed to instinctively know which were poisonous or not. Nowadays however she almost always ate plenty and used those calories well trekking around the woods. She was also noticeably paler than she'd been at the Dursley's despite how much sun she got.

Her clothes were a mish mash of various things some that she'd made from animal pelts like the skirt she was wearing as well as her sleeveless top and boots she'd managed to make. Other things like her jacket she'd stolen when she'd strayed closer to civilization ( which she did always feel bad about, leaving a few pelts behind every time hoping the story owners could get some money out of them.)

Currently she was staying in the woods near what she could only describe as a tribe of friendly ice giants. Most of them were rather childlike and to her eternal embarrassment her first interaction with them was one picking her up and petting her calling her "doggy". However one of the, who was sort of like their leader and as such was much more mature and wise had given her quite a bit of valuable information. Apparently there were 2 groups she should avoid, a bunch of demigods, to begin with she'd had it confirmed to her that pretty much all of greek mythology was real something she had been suspecting but was still amazed by nonetheless, who were part of camp half-blood in long island, and another group called the hunters of Artemis. She'd been told that while the demigods were more likely to attack her the hunters would be much harder to escape from and practically impossible to fight.

However she'd stayed here too long already, she was beginning to feel settled in and with those feelings came more memories from the Dursley's and more of what she'd taken to calling "episodes". And as such she'd decided that it was time to move on, bidding goodbye to the giants and giving the leader a patchwork quilt like thing made of many many animal pelts, dozens of them to be big enough to be of any value to someone of that size, as thanks. She started on her journey southward deciding to head to Maine.

* * *

 **Hello again everyone, thanks for all the reviews and follows and favorites. As I'm sure you've noticed I've decided on a Scythe for her main weapon, this is mainly because of how it is Thanatos's weapon and he's the one who gave it to her. I felt like this would work well also as a magical focus because of how staff like it is and for an alternate form it turns into a falx which is sort of like a scythe blade stuck on a sword handle. Please note that thanatos will not play much of a role in this at least not at first, maybe if I decide to do Heroes of Olympus stuff Acacia might join in on the quest to save him, the grimoire thanatos got from hecate who frequents the underworld and at the time it was before any of the titan war stuff so she's still at least decently loyal, or at least fond of Acacia for the whole savior of the wizarding world child who lived thing, the wizarding world falling under her domain. Still not fully decided on romance but leaning towards artemis.**


	3. Chapter 3

Acacia had been traveling for a couple months when she finally reached Maine and found an interesting sight. After following an odd scent in the air to an Island that if she remembered properly was named after some mountain on it, she came upon a castle. Or at least it looked like a castle, she'd been fairly certain that there weren't any of them in America at least there couldn't be many. She did however get an odd sort of longing in her soul when she first saw it, almost as if some part of her thought she should be in a castle, not this one but a castle nonetheless.

Things got stranger when she saw a bunch of kids fighting a…. Scorpion man lion? And said monster was actually launching spikes at them with its tail. She debated going over to help them but she was certain they were demigods and so she was afraid of what they'd do to her. The decision was rendered moot when out of apparently nowhere a group of girls in silver appeared armed with bows they quickly turned the tide of the battle, however one of the half bloods went over the edge of a cliff with the monster. Things didn't calm down then as a helicopter appeared spraying bullets at them. Acacia covered her sensitive ears with a whimper and remembered another reason why she stayed away from at least the big human cities, they were so noisy. To her amazement one of the girls simply raised a hand and the helicopter turned into a flock of birds. What she heard next however sent a spike of fear through her heart. The girl turned to one of the demigods and spoke.

" I am Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt."

'Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit σκατά, wait where did that one come from?' Acacia thought to herself closer to the rock she was behind hoping that none of the ones who must obviously be the Hunters of Artemis, or the lady herself noticed her. She knew she couldn't try to leave now, not when they were all on high alert, her only hope was that they either let their guard down or left soon.

Artemis POV

Artemis gave a mental sigh, she wished that things with her mortal half sister had gone better, so much trouble could've been avoided if she'd joined the hunt earlier, none of that pine tree business not to mention she would never be the child of prophecy due to never reaching 16 by not aging. She did respect her loyalty to her friends even if one of them had been a boy, if only the other girl had been older she would have extended the invitation to both of them it'd be much more likely that they'd accept then. She did also wish her lieutenant had a bit more restrain, great hunter and leader as she was, Zoe could learn some people skills. She conveniently ignored how she had a tendency to turn those who annoyed her, males especially, into jackalopes.

"We've burdened these children enough," She announced. "Zoe, we will rest here  
for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the  
School."

"Yes, my lady."

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" Nico asked.

She considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game  
you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?"

Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"

Artemis swore to herself that if Pan was ever found she'd have words to him about his satyr's infatuations with her. Speaking of the satyr, right as the wind shifted he suddenly stopped and turned looking at Percy Jackson.

" Uhhh, Percy? I smell another monster."

This did catch her attention " Tell me satyr do you recognize the smell."

" W-well Lady Artemis it's different than last time but it smells a lot like the Cerberus."

"How do you know what Cerberus smells like" Zoe, who had been about to leave for the school asks.

" These are the ones who went on the quest to retrieve my father's bolt Zoe." She said and noted that Zoe seemed to look at them with a bit more apprehension which she was glad of, it would not do well for her lieutenant to be dismissive of the danger one posed simply because they may be male, however less likely they are to be a threat. " Zoe take Bianca to the tents, tell Phoebe to retrieve their things from the school, satyr continue on with the boy, I will find our unexpected guest." And with that artemis disappears in a flash.

Acacia POV

The satyr's words made her blood run colder than the snow around them, though she realized that if she did get away from them alive she at least learned the most likely answer for her parentage, and she was glad she didn't inherit 3 headedness from it. She shook these thoughts from her head quickly turning around after making sure she had all of her things with her, namely her backpack and her weapon in sword form strapped horizontally on her lower back under her backpack, with a crude pelt sheathe which she learned to make after cutting herself far too many times reaching for it. She scrambled away hastily begging to the gods above for her to be able to escape until she realized she was running from one of those very gods.

Feeling a presence suddenly appear behind herself she threw herself forwards knowing at this point it was too late. She landed on the ground scraping her palms and turned over she saw Artemis with her bow and just closed her eyes turning her head up and to the side.

" J-just please make it quick." She whispers awaiting the arrow that will end her. To her surprise moments passed and no pain but the throbbing of her hands came, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see the goddess without her bow crouching in front of her in curiosity.

" What is your name girl?"

" A-acacia Potter, Lady Artemis."

" So you know who I am then? You know of the gods and all else."

" Y-yes, I had suspected for a while and a couple months back I met a group of Hyperborean Giants, their leader confirmed it to me."

" I see, and what are you? Not human, nor demigod, similar to a monster but different than anything I've seen before."

Hearing those words Acacia felt all of her negative emotions return again the fear, depression, self loathing, and so she responds voice carrying all those feelings. " It is as you say Lady Artemis, I'm a monster…. A freak…. Unnatural abomination." She felt her eyes water saying those words she believed to be true.

Artemis POV

The goddess did not know what to expect when she first decided not to kill the girl on sight, just by looking at her she could tell she was not like the monsters she and her followers hunter. However she was completely unprepared by the answer she'd just received, for a maiden to hate oneself as this one did, well it truly troubled Artemis. To see how much the girl really believed that about herself how her body was shaking, the girl's wolf like ears and tail drooping, and her, eyes, she was sure she'd never seen eyes of that red amber before, they looked like they were drowning in the tears gathering about to fall.

" You are not, little one, I am the goddess of the Hunt and Wilderness so believe me when I say you are as natural as any part of the wild." Her words had thankfully seemed to have some affect on the girl calming her slightly.

" R-really?"

" It may be my brother who is the god of truth but I am not one to lie either, now how old are you, you look to be…. 11?" Artemis noticed that the comment seemed to have made the girl rather red faced, so she perhaps got it wrong.

" 13 and a half Lady Artemis."

It filled her with mirth whenever she heard those so young give such importance to half years, it was greatly amusing. " Ahh of course." she said with a slight smirk. " And if I may ask what is your story of how you came to be here, your accent is British is it not? Though if you will share you will need to make an oath on the river Styx that you are telling only the truth, this oath is binding and for a mortal to break it is to welcome a fate worse than death." She saw the girl think this over before nodding.

" I swear on the river Styx that what I am about to tell Lady Artemis is the truth." The sky rumbled with Acacia's words.

As the girl told her tale Artemis found herself filled with many conflicted emotions, anger at the girl's family for treating her as they did, pity for what she'd gone through not only what her family had done to her but to have to take a life so young, she was confused and had some suspicions about the gifts she received and was interested in hearing about her ability for magic as well as her apparent natural ability for hunting and wilderness survival which further cemented her thoughts on what to do next. She did also laugh a bit at the story of how the Hyperborean giant thought her to be a puppy.

" Feel no shame for taking your uncle's life, he does not deserve it, you did what you did to protect yourself and had he not been dead already I would make sure to rectify that situation, perhaps I shall even visit your aunt and cousin. May I see the note and book you received along with your weapon?" She was glad to see the girl comply quickly, she hoped that meant that she was trusting her. As she looked through the book and note Artemis smirked. She had already suspected it but as the one responsible literally signed their name it was quickly confirmed. " It seems you somehow fell into Thanatos's, the god of death's, favor this note was written by him and he was the one to give you the weapon, the book I assume is from Hecate, they are friends of sorts I believe, the language it's in is Ancient Greek which shouldn't be too hard for you to learn which brings me to my next point. You have two options, I can let you go and I will tell my hunters not to hurt you should we cross paths again so long as you do not start behaving as a monster, I would offer to take you to camp halfblood but I'm afraid they would at best not accept you as you're not a demigod but much more likely they'd kill you. However as a young maiden you have another option, Acacia Potter, would you like to join my hunt.

Acacia POV

Acacia was stunned. She had expected at first to be killed by the Goddess, and sure she was confused when she'd been asked all those questions but this, to be offered a place on the hunt was, well it was rather shocking. She'd thought she'd have to run from hunters all her life not join them. The goddess must have seen her confusion because she continued speaking.

" It is not only demigods who may join the hunt, we have half-bloods true but also nymphs and mortals have joined, while you'd be the first demi monster to join as well I do not know if there have ever been any like you before, you'd be welcomed in regardless of your parentage, I assure you we've had members with worse parents than the cerberus, in truth with your parent being that particular monster you'll receive less scrutiny as he is in service to a god, but the hunt will provide you with a home, a family, if that is what you wish."

If this was a dream it was one she never wished to be woken from, it was what she'd always wanted even when she'd been living with the Dursley's, a real family, and so the answer was easy. " I would love and be honored to join the hunt my lady."

" Good, we will do the pledge back at camp, before we go however I'd like to know your abilities." Artemis said to her standing up.

She nods standing as well " Um well I can fight with a scythe and this sword, which are one and the same" she says drawing her falx and transforming it to scythe form. " I can use it in scythe form to cast magic, I only know 4 right now, to summon, to banish, fire, and to clean but if I learn how to read the rest of my grimoire I imagine I'll learn more. I'm pretty good with stealth hunting and tracking with my increased senses. I can also sew a bit and have made most of my clothes from animals i've hunted. I can travel through the shadows and erm well the other one is perhaps easier to show you, I figured it out on accident when I had to fight a pack of wolves." she says and focusing for a big she seemed to turn to a mass of shadows and that mass of shadows turned into a wolf like hellhound about the size of a lion before turning back. " I'm not exactly sure how but when I do that my clothes transform with me as does my weapon, my bag just falls to the ground." Acacia says picking up said bag as she saw the Goddess look at her thoughtfully.

" Hmm while that last one could have many uses we must be careful as depending on the situation the other hunters might not be able to differentiate between you and our enemies. Perhaps we could find something to mark you as our member in that form, I could create something that would stay on you when you transform and change size to still fit."

Acacia thinks for a bit " Um… a collar perhaps? It'd fit with the whole wolf form and I think i've seen some people wearing them before, they did tend to dress like that one demigod girl though the one that smells like ozone."

The goddess seemed surprised, " I had thought about that but was afraid you might find it demeaning, it could be seen as treating you like an animal."

Acacia just shrugs. " It'd be fine My Lady, I would not mind but thank you for caring."

" Very well." The goddess says looking somewhere between confused and amused she held out her hand and a silver colored leather collar appeared in her hand. " turn around so I may put it on you."

Acacia nods turning away from the goddess and finds the feeling of someone putting a collar on her rather odd but she found she actually enjoyed the feeling of the collar itself, it was snug but not constrictive, she found the feeling of it there comforting.

" You should transform again to see if it works properly." The goddess suggests after she turned back around to face her.

Acacia nods and transforms once more happy to still feel the collar, magically enlarged to fit, still there and still comfortable. She turns back to human and looks down at it feeling even happier when she saw the crescent moon tag on it.

" Let us return to camp and have you take the pledge, I suspect that you will not be the only other new hunter today the Di Angelo girl will likely join as well."

Acacia nods and follows the Goddess back to her camp. Once they arrived it was a bit unnerving how everyone seemed to be looking at her, most of the hunters looked just confused wondering what she was and why she was with Lady Artemis, the satyr looked at her a bit fearfully, the demigod girl however, the one that smelled like ozone, she could not tell what was going through her mind, she did suspect that at one point the girl was looking at her clothing with what appeared to be approval oddly enough especially at her collar.

Once she was led into a tent she, Artemis, her Lieutenant Zoe, and the other possible recruit Bianca all talked, at one point the demigod boy who smelled like the sea was questioned by Artemis and he seemed rather put off about bianca joining them but eventually the girl took the pledge and then it was her turn.

She saw Artemis looking at her and she nods remembering the words Bianca had just said. "I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt." to her relief Artemis nods accepting her pledge and she feels a new power coursing through her, feeling stronger, healthier, her already superhuman senses sharper.

She smiled, she had a family now. She was a Hunter.

* * *

 **So i've sort of lost my leaning either way after considering Thalia some more for the romance, honestly I might even be leaning more towards that now it'd certainly be an easier relationship to develop or at least i'd be able to have a relationship if not romantic at first develop between them sooner due to the imminent quest. She also finally found out about her parentage and benefactor, she will be learning ancient greek from the other hunters and so will have access to more spells over time, if anyone wants to suggest any I'd be happy to consider them, especially if they're not harry potter spells, the 4 she currently knows are incendio, accio, depulso, and scourgify, that last one was mostly because I think it'd be kinda gross if she couldn't clean things like her clothes or any pelts she skinned easily. I'll try to continue with my current update rate at least for this week, it'll probably slow down next week as I'll be back in school but, well i've always been one to ignore my schoolwork anyways.**


	4. Chapter 4

Thalia POV

Thalia was just standing outside occasionally glaring at the various hunters who seemed not to pay her much mind when she saw first Bianca exit and then Percy. She waved Percy over as well as Grover who was now free, as Nico was talking to his sister. " So what happened Percy?"

As he told her the story Thalia frowned hearing about how the two girls joined and also when she heard that the Hunters would be joining them in camp, her reaction was nothing compared to Grover's who visibly paled before going onto to explain, " The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they ever show up here?" Percy asked. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And now Bianca joined them that's one less demigod on our side." Thalia says pursing her lips disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good-"

" Wait aren't the hunters on the side of Olympus too?" Percy asks cutting her off.

" Yeah yeah." Thalia says while thinking 'Still would she have come with us and the hunters stay out of our way.'

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that

she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so… into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Thalia.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

She rolls her eyes again at him, " Anyways who was that other girl who joined, the weird looking one that came from the woods with Artemis, she some sort of demigod?" Thalia asks hoping they hadn't lost another one to the hunters.

" Didn't smell like a demigod to me." Grover says nervously.

Percy shakes his head, " Nah get this apparently she's a halfblood but half monster, you were right about the smell G-man apparently her father's Cerberus."

"Really? Didn't know that was possible. Hope for her mom's sake he has a human form."

Thalia glares at Grover for that comment thinking to herself 'really that's what you take out of this.'

" Not sure if she's dangerous or not I mean sure she's in the hunt now but can we trust her at camp?" Percy asks.

" Can't trust anyone in the hunt, not really." She says with a sigh thinking back to her time with Luke and Annabeth.

" Not really what I meant-" Percy started but was cut off burst of light on the horizon everyone closing their eyes opening them later to see a glowing hot sports car parked in the clearing

Acacia POV

What followed her pledge almost gave Acacia metaphorical whiplash from all that was going on. Zoe who before had seemed frosty at best, acted completely differently after Percy and Bianca left though she mostly assumed that was due to Percy leaving, she was actually very nice and acted as she would assume a big sister is like to Acacia. To begin with she was given a change of clothes and directed to a curtained off area to change. Apparently it was something mostly for new members as living with one another for eternity as well as everyone having the save parts, tended to make people less embarrassed about changing in front of one another. She was a bit sad to change clothes, she had made most of them afterall but did realize that these new ones were much better. They also fit her perfectly which made her suspect they were magical in a similar sense to her collar, which she'd already picked up a tendency to fiddle with the moon charm when in thought. The outfit was pretty nice and rather warm and in the end of it all she was wearing a silver ski jacket, blue jeans, and black combat boots. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed real shoes that actually supported ones feet until she put them on. She did still keep her old clothes, using a quick cleaning charm on them and putting them away in her bag, which she'd also received a new one of which was good because her old one was falling apart.

When she stepped back into the main tent she was confused to see everyone gone as well as a bright light peeking through the gaps in the entrance flaps. She cocked her head to the side feeling how much warmer it was and stepped out to see a glowing red sports car and artemis talking to who by the look of things must be Apollo. She also did listen in on a bit of funny conversation between two of the demigods, the ozone smelling girl and the boy who smelled like the ocean.

"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," Percy said.

"That's not what I meant."

At that Acacia had to hold back a giggle thinking to herself ' I think I get now why Zoe kept ranting about how boys are idiots, I've been living in the woods since I was 9 and I knew what she meant.'

"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister."

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—"

"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"

Artemis grit her teeth. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

The other Hunters all groaned while she just waited to hear it,'he is the god of poetry, why is everyone groaning?'. Apparently they'd met Apollo before.

He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.

"Green grass breaks through snow.

Artemis pleads for my help.

I am so cool."

'Oh so that's why.' Acacia thinks with a bit of a disappointed sigh.

He grinned at us, waiting for applause.

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

Apollo frowned. "Was it?"

"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.

Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase

ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear

one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta—"

Acacia shuddered at the thought, at least Haiku's were only 17 syllables.

"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!" He bowed, looking very pleased with himself.

"And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to the 2 demigods and the satyr, who was still glancing at her occasionally with a mix of nervousness and suspicion. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem!" Apollo checked the demigod girl out. "Let's see… Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—"

"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going."

"Oh, right." Then he looked at the older demigod boy, and his eyes narrowed. "Percy Jackson?"

"Yeah. I mean… yes, sir."

"Well!" he said at last. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."

Acacia looked at the car confused, it didn't seem to be able to hold more than 2 people, but with all the various acts of bending reality she'd seen so far she assumed it could either be bigger on the inside or it could transform.

"Cool car," Nico said.

"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.

"But how will we all fit?"

"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. "Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose…"

He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp. For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games.

'Second option then' Acacia thought to herself

"Right," he said. "Everybody in."

Acacia grabbed her things and made her way to the bus. Before she got in she saw that Apollo had noticed her and furrowed his brow, he'd turned to look at Artemis and looked to be about to ask something before being met with a glare. Acacia was filled with a warm fuzzy feeling that she hadn't really felt before and decided that she definitely enjoyed having this new, proper family, people who cared and were willing to defend you. So with a small smile she got on the bus and sat in the back with the other Hunters.

Acacia decided that while not the safest mode of transportation, sun chariot was definitely a fun one. Though she had a sneaking suspicion that the safety issue was because of who was driving, true the Thalia girl was daughter of Zeus who was lord of the sky but she certainly didn't seem at ease in her father's domain and even from the back of the bus Acacia could smell her fear, she was pretty certain she was the only one who could do that though so she decided not to bring it up. At least not with anyone else, she certainly wouldn't want her own fears spread around especially if she had been afraid of something associated with herself, like the shadows she could travel to. They'd ended up landing in the lake which, for her was very exciting, she was pretty sure she was the only one who enjoyed it however, some of the others looked rather motion sick, and the water spirits in the lake certainly didn't enjoy it.

Once she exited the sun chariot, or was it bus? The sun bus? Once she got on solid ground she spent a few moments just looking around the camp in amazement it was beautiful covered in a thin layer of snow that instead of obscuring things just added to their beauty. She saw many things there that she hoped she'd have time to try but decided to stay away from the lava climbing wall, she'd already burnt herself enough while learning her fire spell and had no wish to repeat the experience with lava. She looked around for Zoe and saw her with Percy, the demigod who smelled like the sea, and the satyr who was named Grover. She caught a bit of conversation as she walked up them.

"I know Chiron," Zoe said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way," Grover offered.

"We know the way."

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost-"

" Hey Zoe is our cabin the silver one" Acacia asks not usually one to interrupt, well considering how she's mostly been without conversation partner for the last few years other than that brief time with the giants she isn't one to talk much, but she thought that Zoe might appreciate it.

Grover jumps a bit upon hearing her from behind him and says nervously to Zoe, " Yeah you're right of course you know the way I'll uhh just be going then." he says with a frightened look to her.

Zoe must've not noticed Acacia's negative reaction to the satyr's own negative reaction, her eyes dimming and her tail and ears drooping slightly as she jested, " Well if nothing else you will be good for keeping the Satyrs away." This just caused her to show more obvious signs of sadness ears fully drooping and a pouting.

" I wish they weren't scared of me." She mumbles.

" Huh? Oh gods I am sorry Acacia, I spoke without thinking."

She just shrugs " it's alright let's just go to the cabin" Acacia says and she assumed she successfully conveyed her wishes not to continue as the matter was dropped and Zoe lead her and Bianca, them being the newbies, to cabin 8. Acacia did not notice Zoe's occasional concerned glance her way.

After they'd arrived and gotten settled things were a bit better for Acacia, she'd properly been introduced to all the other Hunters who seemed to have no problem with her being half monster, one of them even joked about it being good in case they ever got sent to the underworld on a hunt for whatever reason, they could probably get by her father pretty easily, which did cheer her up thinking of the positives of her heritage. She quickly became good friends with one of the veteran hunters, apparently second oldest after Zoe, called Phoebe. They bonded over their skill for tracking and natural strength, Phoebe was a daughter of Ares who joined the Hunt a few centuries back and had great strength from that coupled with the blessing of Lady Artemis, Acacia herself got her strength from her monster half which was also boosted by the blessing. She also learn that the next day they'd be having a capture the flag game against the campers. There was the awkward pause when she had to ask what capture the flag was having never played it before but that was covered quickly. She was also given a book on ancient greek which she found she could pick up the basics of very quickly, she was told this was another part of the blessing, not enough to read her grimoire but she got one of the other Hunters to translate a few simple spells, one of them being a handy minor healing one which she spent a fair amount of time practicing even if she did have to explain to the others at first why she kept cutting her arm with one of her new knives.

Later she was given a bow and Zoe took her and Bianca down to the archery range to test what natural ability they'd picked up from the blessing. Bianca was a natural, she herself had less luck however, she wasn't bad with the bow by mortal or even camper standards, she was told she was close to the average child of Apollo but for a Hunter she was pretty poor. This had brought her down a bit before Zoe talked to her.

" Do not worry if you are not good with a bow, you will have much time to improve and you possess skills that no one else in the Hunt can use and I do not mean just the traits you got from your monster parentage but your magic is already impressive and from what you've told me of your book you're only just scratching the surface. You will improve with the bow but even if it never becomes your primary weapon you are already a true Hunter."

Acacia smiled at that and that was when she truly saw what made Lady Artemis chose Zoe as her Lieutenant, not only was she the best hunter and the oldest but she was truly great at leading and taking care of her fellow Hunters.

Percy POV

I was pretty miserable at dinner that night.

I mean, the food was excellent as usual. You can't go wrong with barbecue, pizza, and never-empty soda goblets. The torches and braziers kept the outdoor pavilion warm, but we all had to sit with our cabin mates, which meant I was alone at the Poseidon table. Thalia sat alone at the Zeus table, but we couldn't sit together. Camp rules. At least the Hephaestus, Ares, and Hermes cabins had a few people each. Nico sat with the Stoll brothers, since new campers always got stuck in the Hermes cabin if their Olympian parent was unknown. The Stoll brothers seemed to be trying to convince Nico that poker was a much better game than Mythomagic. I hoped Nico didn't have any money to lose. The only table that really seemed to be having a good time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family. Zoe sat at the head like she was the mama. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair. I thought she looked a lot nicer when she smiled. Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time. She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from the big girl who'd picked a fight with the Ares kid on the basketball

court. The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind. Afterwards the big girl challenged the other new girl, the half monster who he was pretty sure was called Acacia if he remembered correctly, and Jesus was that girl strong. You wouldn't think it from how tiny she was but she was putting up a hell of a lot more resistance than Bianca, at one point he was pretty sure they had said something to rile her up because when they arm wrestled again she slammed the bigger girls hand down on the table so strong he could hear the sound of it. This had left the Hunter's table momentarily quiet and Acacia seemed to be apologizing but then all the hunters cheered patting her on the back, Zoe ruffling her hair. He made sure to remember to tell Thalia not to underestimate the girl at least not her strength just because she was small. When we'd finished eating, Chiron made the customary toast to the gods and formally welcomed the Hunters of Artemis. The clapping was pretty halfhearted. Then he announced he "good will" capture-the-flag game for tomorrow night, which got a lot better reception.

Acacia POV

The next morning all the hunters were on edge, they'd all heard about Zoe's dream of Lady Artemis in trouble and how Chiron had refused to allow them to leave. Their hopes rose a bit after a camper came telling Zoe that Chiron and Mr. D, who as she had learned was Dionysus, wanted to speak with her. Her hope was replaced with fear when she was told she had to come along as well.

She was in the process of internally freaking out about what could go wrong when she was distracted by Zoe's hand on her shoulder, " Do not worry Acacia, you are a member of the Hunt and we all stand behind you." Acacia was once again reminded of why she was glad she found Lady Artemis and the Hunt, well to be accurate Lady Artemis found her.

As they walked to the big house Acacia couldn't help but notice how the campers looked at her, some weren't as bad but a vast majority could only be described as hateful. It was at moments like this when she lamented her hearing capabilities because even with her ears drooped so low they were indistinguishable from her hair she could still hear what some campers were saying about her, hearing one of the groups talking about capturing her then hunting her down for sport. Acacia felt her eyes water as they approached a ping pong table where Chiron and Mr. D were. When they got there Acacia despite her fear did remember her manners and bowed to them first to Mr. D "Lord Dionysus," Then to Chiron "Mr. Chiron y-you wanted to see me." She saw Chiron's slightly surprised face and heard Mr.D mumble about how at least she showed some proper respect, and hoped these would be points in her favor.

" Now Ms. Potter was it? We just have some questions about you-" Chiron started but was cut off by Zoe.

" Do you doubt My Lady's judgement? If Artemis had accepted Acacia into the Hunt there should be no more questions you need to ask her."

"Given her heritage you can understand our concerns I'm sure."

" Her heritage? Yes her parent is a monster but one in service to Lord Hades himself, surely a more trustworthy pedigree than either of ours Chiron considering our fathers."

This seemed to stun Chiron for a moment before he continued, " We've had centuries to prove our loyalties whereas she has not."

" Lady Artemis is sure of her loyalties and if that is not enough, she has been entrusted with gifts by both Lord Thanatos and Lady Hecate, she has proven her loyalty more than most of your Campers one of whom I believe is leading this war against the Olympians is he not? And haven't many others joined him as well."

" There is no need to bring that up." Chiron says looking ruffled, " And she has truly earned the trust of Thanatos and Hecate."

" Gifts for which she was asked no repayment, in fact gifts offered in reward of what she's done." at this point Zoe was just slightly stretching things as technically all she'd done for Thanatos was on accident, but she was amazed at the ferocity with which Zoe defended her.

" I see, you must understand we have to ask these questions when it comes to the camper's safety."

" Their safety? They are the ones talking about murdering a member of the Hunt, simply for her parentage which may I remind you is the same reason why monsters themselves hunt your precious campers. Who is to say they will not attempt something at the capture the flag game."

Now Chiron looked truly cowed and apologetic he glanced once at Mr. D to see if he'd get any support but it was clear he wouldn't. " I see yes of course forgive me, I'll be sure to remind the campers that any violence to the Hunters outside of capture the flag and any unnecessary force during it will be punished severely." With that both he and Mr. D left leaving her and Zoe there alone.

Zoe turned to Acacia and began saying, " I am sorry you had to go through th-" but was cut off by a hug from the small girl.

" Thank you thank you thank you." She says having teared up a bit but now they were tears of joy.

Zoe just smiles putting a hand on her head and ruffling her hair, petting her ears a bit. " Think nothing of it, you are a Hunter now, and we're family."

* * *

 **So this ended with some feels now didn't it. I like it when Zoe goes all mama bear on people's asses and I felt like Dionysus would also rather side with them than the campers because well for one he hates the campers, but he also hates demigods and so as she is a non demigod and Mr. D is well aware of how much assholes they can be ( the whole thing with his wife) coupled with how Acacia bowed to him and showed proper respect would have had him not really support Chiron. I do sort of feel bad for having Zoe and Acacia bond so much ( in a totally unromantic way mind you they are NOT getting together ) when of course Zoe dies, but yeah this was a fucking long ass chapter to write 3800 words without the authors not by google's count, I won't say if future chapters will be of similar length because honestly I have no idea, originally I had thought that this was going to be a shorter one anyhow hope you enjoyed.**


	5. Chapter 5

After the 'talk' that morning, the Hunters had all gone down to breakfast and the difference between now and the last night was palpable to Acacia especially as she was part of them. There was none of the cheer or happiness to it, none of the joking around or arm wrestling. They were all nervous about Lady Artemis. The silver lining seemed to be that Chiron did manage to spread the reaffirmations that the Hunters were all allies and were to be treated as such, plus she was fairly certain some campers had heard of if not just overheard, Zoe defending her. Whenever a camper glared in an especially hostile like manner at her they glanced at Zoe and quickly stopped. There were a few groups who just glared at the Hunters in general, namely the Aphrodite Cabin, Ares Cabin, and Thalia, but Zoe had said this happened every time, Aphrodite did. Apparently Phoebe had embarrassed some Ares kids during a basketball game and Thalia had bad history with the hunt.

Zoe had told her to take the morning off to relax a bit after what happened, she'd protested or at least tried to but it was very hard to protest Zoe. And so Acacia found herself sitting with her back against a pine tree with even odder a dragon resting his head on her lap as she pet it. A bunch of campers who'd passed close enough to see her gave her funny looks but she was fairly sure this was because of her petting the dragon, none of them approached to say anything. She did find it relaxing however and eventually rested her head against the tree closing her eyes and just enjoying the moment, continuing to pet the dragon.

" Huh Peleus seems to like you." A somewhat familiar voice said to her a few minutes later causing Acacia to open her eyes, it was Thalia.

" Is that weird?"

" He tends not to like strangers."

" Oh… I think he just wanted some attention."

Thalia sighs " Yeah normally Annabeth plays with him a bit but…"

" Oh is that the blonde girl who'd been with you in Maine?" Acacia says trying to be delicate about it.

" Oh you saw that? Yeah that was Annabeth."

" Sorry I… I should've helped when I saw you guys but…" she says wondering how to politely say ' I thought you would kill me."

" No, no it was our fight plus …. Percy would've probably attacked you, hell honestly I would've too."

" Oh…" she says looking at her a bit nervously now

" whoa don't worry I won't try to kill you now or anything geeze, mind if I sit down, though I am totally doing it regardless of what you say it's my tree." Thalia says but Acacia was pretty sure she was being snarky there not rude.

" Uh no I don't mind." she says as Thalia sat " Wait what do you mean your tree? You're a daughter of Zeus right I thought plants were more of Demeter's thing."

" When I first came to camp I was fighting a bunch of monsters off and my dad turned me into the tree, I just got turned back to normal last summer."

" Oh huh… guess I'm not the only one who went through some sudden transformations, I probably got the better end of that proverbial stick I guess, though with you it was sort of a literal stick…. Or you were ?" By the end of what she said Acacia had just ended up confusing herself which greatly amused Thalia.

" What do you mean you transformed too?"

" Uh yeah I used to look like a normal human and had green eyes, red hair, no animal bits and then…" she motioned to herself.

" Oh um sorry to hear that."

Acacia sighs before gathering up the courage to ask. " Why are you being so nice, I mean everyone else here doesn't like what I am and you seem to hate the Hunters?"

Thalia sighs not saying anything for a few seconds. " I know what it's like to be judged by who my parent is, what it's like to be hunted because of it, something I should remind Percy of as he knows too. And I more of just don't like Zoe…. ok or most of the Hunters but that's from personal experience you're new you haven't done anything so yeah?" she says shrugging " Doesn't i'm gonna go easy on you if we meet in capture the flag though got it?" Thalia smirks with that last comment and stands up before leaving " See you at capture the flag prepare to have your asses kicked."

After Thalia left Acacia just kept petting Peleus as he didn't really seem eager to let her leave which she didn't really mind she did think however with a smile ' Maybe not all campers are bigoted jerks.'

Percy POV

Percy was running at top speed and felt great. He leaped over the creek into enemy territory. He could see their silver flag up ahead, only one guard, who wasn't even looking in his direction. He heard fighting to his left and right, somewhere in the woods. He'd it made. The guard turned at the last minute. It was Bianca Di Angelo. Her eyes widened as Percy slammed into her and she went sprawling in the snow. "Sorry!" he yelled, ripping down the silver silk flag from the tree before he took off. Percy was ten yards away before Bianca managed to yell for help. He thought he was home free.

ZIP. A silvery cord raced across his ankles and fastened to the tree next to him. A trip wire, fired from a bow! Before he could even think about stopping, he went down hard, sprawling in the snow.

"Percy!" Thalia yelled, off to my left. "What are you doing?"

"Winning this game." He shouted before getting up and running to the border, there was nobody between him and it, he could see Zoe with their flag coming but he was closer he was gonna win this!

Or at least that was what he thought before all of a sudden he saw someone drop in front of him from above holding a scythe, it was the half monster girl he just saw her point the scythe at him and say "εξαφάνιση" ( banishing charm, depulso in Greek) before he felt like he was hit by an invisible battering ram getting flung back a few yards away from the boundary, giving Zoe enough time to cross over. They had lost.

Acacia POV

Acacia was very happy. She had just finished her first capture the flag game and even managed to save their flag from the other team, Zoe even congratulated her on a job well done. It'd been Zoe who told her to wait up on the trees at the border, after she'd told her how most of her hunting had been done with either traps or dropping onto prey from above as she didn't have a bow, so she didn't think she deserved that much credit as it wasn't her idea but she was happy to have helped. Only then did she notice Thalia and Percy fighting. She frowned hearing their insults, sure it wasn't nice for Thalia to call him seaweed brain but calling her pine cone face considering she'd been turned into a pine tree seemed insensitive. All of a sudden her hair started bristling and she turned in the direction of camp snarling a bit.

Zoe noticed this and turned to her " What's wrong Aca-" she was cut off as she and everyone else noticed what was coming. The shriveled up Oracle mummy they all then heard it's voice in their heads and saw it turn and acknowledge Zoe who asked it " What must I do to help my goddess?"

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. Acacia saw the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. She gasped, t was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:

 _Six shall go west to the goddess in chains,_

 _One shall be lost in the land without rain,_

 _The bane of Olympus shows the trail,_

 _Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_

 _The Titan's curse must one withstand,_

 _And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

Then, as we were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.

Acacia didn't know what she was doing at the senior council meeting, though she did find it a bit funny that all that seriousness was held at around a ping pong table. She, Bianca and Zoe sat at one end, with her and Bianca on either side of Zoe, Thalia, Percy and Grover sat on one side, 4 others whom she assumed were counselors sat on another side, while Chiron and Lord Dionysus sat opposite to her. She couldn't really follow everything that was going on everyone being too loud and angry so she just kept her ears flat to her head while looking down slightly letting others do the talking, though from what she could gather they were arguing about who to take on the quest or really how many hunters and how many campers as the Oracle said they'd need both. Her attention was very suddenly grabbed when Zoe said that along with her and Phoebe, she was taking Bianca and Acacia with her.

" Huh?" she mumbles while Bianca was quicker to properly protest.

Bianca looked stunned. "Me? But… I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good."

"You will do fine," Zoe insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

"Then wouldn't it be best to take someone other than me, two novices might be too dangerous wouldn't it? I'm not even that good with a bow yet."

" Of course not I'm sure that you just like Bianca will do admirably plus you have an entirely different set of skills which would be of great help in covering other areas especially with your magic."

She nods giving up on any protest, one does not really protest Zoe. In the end it was decided that Thalia and Grover would be coming with them as well, the other boy from Maine, Percy, wanted to come too but Zoe said she would not accept a male camper coming saying that Grover didn't count as he was a Satyr.

The next day she was woken early at dawn, she still wasn't too used to sleeping in a bed but the harpies here apparently ate people who stayed past curfew. Apparently the counselors from the Hermes cabin gave Phoebe a shirt with Centaurs blood, which was acid, as payback for capture the flag. This made her want to go over there while they were asleep and show them a little payback before Zoe said there was no time they had to leave soon anyways. Bianca had suggested they get another Hunter but Zoe disagreed saying she had some bad feeling against it and that due to the weather charms on the camp this could be the land without rain.

Later on they were all waiting by the van to leave. Zoe took the front with Bianca sitting in the passenger seat, she, Grover, and Thalia sat in the back. By this point she just accepted the fact that Grover seemed especially nervous around her so he sat as far as possible from her. She just sighed watching the van doors close wishing this ride would be short.

Thalia POV

After Grover's tracking spells, which every time she remembered it she couldn't help but think ' acorns seriously?' they had started their trip heading to D.C. Taking another look at Grover she hoped that he wouldn't act this way the entire time with Acacia it was a bit ridiculous, she understood not wanting to sit close to somebody, hell it was the only reason why she agreed not to sit in the back and give the newbie Hunter the passenger seat, no way she was spending that much time sitting next to Zoe. Speaking of Acacia she was getting a bit concerned about her, she couldn't bring herself to dislike her like she did the other hunters, for one thing she already had so many people against her just because of her dad which she could totally sympathize with. Furthermore as much as she was loathe to admit it, with how small she was, a whole 6 inches less than Thalia and she herself was only 5'2" and the wolf ears made it hard to just blatantly loathe her. Not that Thalia thought her harmless, she didn't know what the girl did to send Percy flying like tennis ball but she definitely wanted to know if that could be taught, maybe she could figure out if she has any air powers, so long as it didn't involve flying. Anyways speaking of Acacia she had fallen asleep and seemed to be in a pretty serious nightmare from her face and how she was squirming, didn't make much noise oddly enough. She sighs and decides it'd be best to just ask Zoe maybe she'd know what to do as Thalia had already tried to shake her awake to no avail and didn't feel like trying anything more serious as she herself had punched people by reflex when she'd been woken roughly before.

" Hey Zoe uhhh something is up with Acacia thinks she's having a nightmare or something, can't wake her up" she says sticking her head into the front.

" Oh right, I believe she said she had claustrophobia, she didn't have a problem with Lord Apollo's bus but I suppose that is because it was bigger hmmm." Zoe says thinking for a moment " Your satyr friend is certain of her heritage Cerberus right?"

Thalia turns to grover who had overheard " uuh yeah certain, don't think i'll ever forget that smell."

" Hmm then perhaps some music should help."

"Music?" Thalia asks confused

" When it comes to the Cerberus, music does soothe the beast." Zoe replies turning on the radio finding a station playing classical music, the effect was pretty easily noticeable it quickly calming Acacia down.

" Well that would've been useful to know before." Grover sighs, which just sends Thalia snickering remembering the story of his first quest with Percy.

* * *

 **Sorry for only posting this so late in the day I tried to get it done sooner but kept changing my mind about how to do things. Also I think it's pretty clear now that this will be an Acacia/Thalia fic, sorry for anyone who wanted it to be Artemis but this was just more natural to write.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone, so sorry for the delay in the update, was just hit by a spell of writers block Friday and couldn't get anything done, I hope the double update makes it up for y'all, enjoy.**

* * *

Acacia POV

When Acacia finally awoke it was because they'd pulled over at a rest stop somewhere in Maryland.

" Hmm what's going on? Have we found Artemis?" She asks sleepily which elicited a snicker from Thalia.

" You haven't been asleep that long, we're in Maryland, we're hungry and Grover needed a pit stop."

" Thalia, you didn't need to say so much about it."

" Yeah yeah G-man, anyways might be best if you stay here with the whole red eyes and wolf ears thing don't know how much the mist will work for those."

At that moment Zoe opens the back door of the van and was standing there with Bianca, " Is everyone ready? Ahh Acacia you are awake, will you be staying in the van?"

Acacia shakes her head with a sleepy yawn " Nah I've had to interact with people a bit in the past to get some stuff that I can't find in the woods." she says rummaging through her backpack before getting out a pair of sunglasses and putting them on as well as a couple hairpins which she uses to pin her ears securely flat against her head. "Stupid things leave my ears hurting for ages though" she says with a pout, her parka was long enough where as long as she wasn't careless she could hide her tail. Now for all intents and purposes she just looked like a small girl with a lot of hair and a slightly odd fashion choice, while her clothes looked kinda normal especially due to Bianca and Zoe wearing the same, she was still wearing a collar.

" Ahh you are well prepared good." Zoe says in a complimentary tone.

Everyone files out of the van and they walk into the rest stop which was an eclectic mix of gas station, convenience store, and cafe. Acacia made her way to the cafe counter with the rest of them and just looked at the board where the menu was in confusions. She looked around and saw that Bianca was asking Zoe a question and Grover, well Grover was still nervous around her so she turned to Thalia. " What should I get?"

Thalia turned to her, "Huh I don't know just get something you like."

" I've never had anything on that menu before."

" Really? I mean I guess you did say you've been living in the wilderness for what like 4 years, but you never had any of this stuff before, no hot chocolate or tea or anything?"

Acacia looks down to the ground, it was barely perceptible with her sunglasses but her tone of voice made her feelings clear. " no… never."

Thalia sighs knowing not to push any further, " well alright, I'll just order a coffee for you then, it's what I'm getting." She says before ordering 2 regular coffees the rest having already ordered.

When she got her coffee Acacia was very careful as she'd been told it was quite hot but after a bit of time she tried it. Her eyes widened as she tasted it. It was amazing, one of the best things she'd ever had. She continued sipping it slowly to savor every drop while just following everyone on autopilot not even paying attention to Thalia and Zoe's arguments she just got back in the van still drinking the coffee.

" Why did you give her coffee!"

" Hey it's not my fault I didn't know she'd act like the freaking energizer bunny."

" Well perhaps if you put more thought into things we wouldn't have nearly crashed."

" Well maybe if you were a better driver."

Acacia sighed listening to Zoe and Thalia argue once more, this time about her. Sure she may have acted a little hyper in the van but it wasn't really that bad was it? Though now that she thought about it trying to show them a spell while in the van was now a good idea seeing as how she'd put her weapon in scythe mode for that and the van was so not big enough for it, startling Grover who startled Zoe which caused the aforementioned almost crash. Now though they'd gotten out of the van and were heading to some famous American museum about space stuff.

They had been walking along the museum for some time when something or someone slammed into Thalia knocking her into one of the exhibits. Quickly while Zoe and Bianca aimed their bows at them, Acacia drew her falx stepping behind them and holding the blade to their throat. She didn't recognize who it was as she couldn't see their face but found the scent somewhat familiar, like the ocean.

Zoe must've recognized him because she shouted, " You! How dare you show thy face here?"

Percy!" Grover said. "Thank goodness."

'Oh so that's who this is.' Acacia thought to herself but still keeping her blade at his throat, after all Zoe was still pointing her bow at him, and Acacia wasn't exactly fond of the son of the sea god. He had looked at her the same way as most other campers did.

Zoe glared at Grover, and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"

"Luke," he said, trying to catch his breath, having trouble with it due to the blade millimeters from his neck. "He's here."

The anger in Thalia's eyes immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. "Where?"

He told them about the Natural History Museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke, and the General.

"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," Percy said. "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you over here. A monster. Also could you guys stop holding your weapons at me especially the one at my throat."

Acacia looked to Zoe still keeping her blade in place, when Zoe nodded and lowered her bow she stepped back removing her falx from Percy's throat and transforming it into scythe mode. She started sniffing the air wondering what the hell that new scent was ignoring the rest of them arguing. She got her answer when they all heard a loud roar and a young girl shouting about kittens. Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur.

"The Nemean Lion," Thalia said. "Don't move."

"Separate on my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted." She then turned to Acacia. " Can you keep it off of us."

Acacia nods setting down her bag.

" What can she do she's small enough for it to eat in one bite?" Percy shouted which just ticked Acacia off.

She let out a growl and transformed into her large hellhound form, collar still present. She wasn't as big as the lion but was much closer to its size than the rest of them. Arrows flew at the lion but they shattered on impact with its pelt, he'd been about to attack when Acacia leapt, body checking him. It was hard enough and enough of a surprise to make the lion skid away a bit but now it was totally focused on her.

" She can do that." Zoe commented to Percy before firing another volley of arrows with Bianca, they were accurate enough not to hit Acacia but it still didn't do anything to the lion.

Acacia knew she couldn't beat it in strength and normally it'd have her beat in speed so her tactic of rapid hit and run attacks would've failed if she hadn't been short distance shadow traveling to dodge his attacks. After what felt like hours but were probably just a few minutes if that, of fighting, Acacia was starting to get tired, she'd also taken a few minor scratches, the pain hindering her concentration making it harder to dodge.

Percy came back from wherever he'd ran off to, a bunch of silver packages in his arms and shouted to Zoe, " Can she hold it down for a few seconds."

Zoe didn't respond too busy shooting arrows along with Bianca trying to distract it enough so it'd mess up against Acacia, Thalia was occasionally entering the fray to poke at it with her spear and Grover was playing on his reed pipes. Acacia had heard him though and thought to herself 'I can certainly try to.' and committed herself to a bigger move aware that she'd likely get injured unless she was lucky.

Shadow traveling to the Lion's own shadow behind him she grabbed one of his hind legs in her jaws clamping down on it, she was fairly sure she'd managed to fracture it from just the pressure but that thought was quickly taken away from her mind by the searing pain on her side as the lion got a big swipe there with his claws. Percy must've done something right because in seconds it was dead turned to gold dust and a pelt, a spoil of war, on the ground.

Acacia then transformed back falling onto the ground in pain, her scythe clattering beside her. The others gasped and ran to her seeing the size of her wound. Her jacket was completely shredded on one side and blood was flowing freely.

" Oh gods is she alright?" Percy asked seeing her condition.

Zoe glared at him " Does she look alright." Before crouching by Acacia and helping her into a sitting position eliciting a moan of pain from the girl, " here drink this." Zoe said putting a canteen of nectar to her lips and tilting it back getting the young demi monster to drink it. To acacia it tasted like the coffee she'd just had a few hours ago and likewise it energized her as well as taking away a good deal of the pain she could feel her wound healing faster, the blood loss slowing down before all but stopping. " How are you feeling Acacia?"

" Lot's of pain, not the worst i've felt, should be ok to move, don't know about fighting without at least a decent bit of sleep" She says before pushing herself up wearily. She tried to walk properly but just barely limped a few inches forward wincing with the step.

Thalia quickly moved over and after a bit of finagling with Acacia's arms as she was a good half foot shorter, Thalia was supporting her so she could walk faster and stand more easily. Zoe looked like she was about to protest and offer to do it herself as Acacia was one of her Hunters but Thalia said, " Both you and Bianca need both hands for your bows and I still got Aegis to protect us." Zoe nodded not finding fault with this thinking and also choosing to place Acacia's well being over other things for now.

" I could do it." Percy says feeling a bit guilty about the girl getting hurt during his plan.

The three Hunters immediately replied as one. " You are a boy."

" Oh erm right."

Zoe just sighed and pointed to the pelt on the ground while looking at Percy. " Take it."

"What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal rights violation or something?"

" It is a spoil of war. It is rightly thine."

" You killed it." Percy said.

Zoe shook her head and said with barely discernable amusement, " I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."

He lifted it up and it turned into a golden-brown leather duster. He then looked to Acacia, " you should have it, you did the most in the fight and you're the one who got injured."

She shook her head with a grimace. "As much as I had no qualm about helping to kill him and have no issue with someone else wearing that, I would feel uncomfortable wearing my uncle's pelt."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "Maybe it's best you do keep it Percy, it might protect you from sticking your foot in your mouth so much."

The tone turned considerably less lighthearted when the skeleton soldiers were seen. Percy tried to stay behind to distract them but Zoe had been convinced that he was the 6th quest member and he was brought along.

They were crossing the Potomac, having thankfully already properly bandaged Acacia's injury and switched out her jacket so she wouldn't be wearing something blood stained, when they spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one they'd seen at Westover Hall, it was coming straight at them.

"They know the van," Percy said. "We have to ditch it."

Zoe swerved into the fast lane, eliciting a groan from Acacia who'd been laying down before she sat up. The helicopter was gaining.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," Percy said. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," Zoe said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" I asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

Zoe shook her head. "I do not know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth."

"Mortals are often more monstrous in their own right than the beasts who come after you." Acacia says gravely, earning a funny look from Grover.

Thalia prayed to her father but nothing happened. Bianca pointed out a parking lot and convinced them to go there, soon they were out of the van going down the stairs to a subway station, Thalia still helping Acacia. They ended up heading South towards somewhere called Alexandria.

Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job Bianca. Thinking of the subway.

Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised to see it, because it wasn't here when we used to live in D.C."

Grover frowned. "New? But that station looked really old."

"I guess," Bianca said. "But trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway."

Thalia sat forward. "Wait a minute. No subway at all?"

Bianca nodded.

Acacia was confused, she didn't know how old this station was or even the whole subway system but it definitely looked far older than Bianca. Before they could ask her any more questions they heard the sound of helicopter blades and spent some time switching around trains to lose them. Eventually they reached the end of a line and everyone was told to get off the train. The problem was they were at some sort of industrial area with only warehouses, rail tracks, and lots and lots of snow. Acacia was glad that Zoe had an extra parka for her after hers was shredded in the fight and guessed they must be special, as it was keeping her warm very well.

They wandered through the railway yard, thinking there might be another passenger train somewhere, but there were just rows and rows of freight cars, most of which were covered in snow, like they hadn't moved in years.

A homeless guy was standing at a trash-can fire. Acacia thought they must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave the group a toothless grin and said, "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!"

Despite them all being huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-ggreat."

Acacia let out a breath of relief, " I thought my ears were going to get frostbitten, they radiate too much heat."

"Yeah, my hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

"Feet," Percy corrected, glancing at the homeless guy

"Maybe we should contact camp," Bianca said. "Chiron—"

"No," Zoe said. "They cannot help us anymore. We must finish this quest ourselves."

"You know," the homeless man said, "you're never completely without friends." His face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. "You kids need a train going west?"

"Yes, sir," Percy responded before asking, "You know of any?"

He pointed one greasy hand. Suddenly they all noticed a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. It was one of those automobile-carrier trains, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. The side of the freight train said SUN WEST LINE.

"That's… convenient," Thalia said. "Thanks, uh…" She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him.

An hour later they were all heading west. 'Well at least now there won't be arguments about who's driving.' Acacia thought settling into the passenger seat of a luxury two seater, Thalia, as she'd been helping her walk was sitting in the drivers seat. Bianca and Zoe sat together in a Lexus on the top deck, Grover and Percy had settled into a Lamborghini while Thalia was busy hot wiring the radio on their Mercedes. Not that Acacia herself knew all these brands.

Thalia must've succeeded in what she was doing because the radio started playing and she said " Oh sweet The White Stripes." She then turned to Acacia, "Oh wait, you've got to rest cuz of your injury right." She says moving her hand to turn off the radio, sounding a slight bit disappointed but Acacia thought she could also hear a smidge of guilt in her tone.

Acacia shook her head " It's fine the music actually helps." She fiddled with the seat before finding how to make it go almost completely flat like a bed. She glanced to Thalia before softly saying"... Thanks for all the help, helping me around since I'm injured I mean."

" It's fine, we all would've probably been in a much worse shape if you hadn't held the lion off like you did, just get some rest."

She nods already sleepy before closing her eyes and drifting off.


	7. Chapter 7

Acacia POV

Acacia was woken by Thalia shaking her shoulder. " Hmmm? Oh it's morning." She says covering her eyes with her hands to let them adjust. " Train stopped?"

Thalia nods taking a step back so she could get out of the car, Thalia herself had already exited and had been outside the car waking her through the open door. " Yeah how's your wound."

Acacia gets out of the car and stretches before grabbing her weapon and bag. " Good I heal pretty fast at night and the nectar had already done most of the work, not fully healed I don't think, but as long as I avoid getting injured there again I should be fine."

Thalia rolled her eyes ruffling Acacia's hair. "Try not getting injured at all, if not for your own health than at least Zoe's immortal or not I think if you get injured that bad again she's gonna have a heart attack, though now that I think about it she might just be put on edge more and end up snapping and killing Percy so maybe you shouldn't worry that much." She says in a jesting manner.

" Oh no what would we do then without our master strategist, a child of Athena could not come up with such masterful plans like fighting monsters with freeze dried ice." Acacia says not realizing that she let a bit of her English dialect slip.

Thalia just rolls her eyes at that before they all hopped off the train seeing that they were in a small ski town called Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Acacia felt like she'd frozen her tail off by the time they reached the main street, on the way there she overheard Percy and Grover talking, apparently he'd been told to go find Nereus in San Francisco by Apollo, who was actually the homeless guy from before. They then stopped and looked around at the various shops and stores.

Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop!" said Grover.

"Yes," Zoe said. "Coffee is good.

Acacia grinned " Ooh coffee yay."

Everyone who'd been with her in the van before turned to her at once and said at the same time "NO!" causing Acacia to pout.

" Huh I don't get it why can't she have coffee?" Percy asked confused.

" I'll tell you later kelp head." Thalia says sighing before turning to the others, " Ok you three" she says pointing to Bianca Zoe and Grover, "How about you get us some food, get decaf for Acacia or something just not regular coffee." eliciting nods of agreement from the three. " The rest of us will check out the grocery store maybe get something that travels well and get directions."

Acacia decided to look through the various aisles of the small store while Percy and Thalia talked to the cashier, she found a pretty big bag of beef jerky for herself and deciding that she could do with improving her relationship with Grover, at least to the point where he didn't act at least a little scared around her, she bought a big tin can of nuts, assuming he liked nuts and having seen him eat tin cans. She went to the Cashier, Percy and Thalia already done talking to him and payed using some of the cash she'd carried for ages in her pack from back when she lived in the wilderness, cash that she didn't get through exactly legal means, but the guys she'd taken them from were poachers so she felt no sympathy for them.

"Get any useful info?" she asks turning to Thalia who just shook her head with a sigh. She also saw that oddly enough Percy had a rubber rat, as they walked out to the porch meeting Bianca and Grover there, Zoe had stayed a bit longer at the coffee shop to use the bathroom. Bianca gave her and Thalia their drinks while Grover gave Percy his. She saw that her drink had been very clearly marked decaf and wondered what that meant, taking a sip of it she felt that while it did taste almost exactly like coffee it was missing something and wasn't as good, but worked well enough as a substitute. She gave Grover the can of nuts which he seemed surprised about but thanked her.

"Wonderful," Thalia grumped. "I'm going to walk down the street, see if anybody in the other shops has a suggestion Acacia you wanna come with."

Acacia nodded.

" But the clerk said -" Percy started before being cut off.

" I know, I'm checking anyways." And she and Thalia headed off down the street, she did feel a little bad about leaving Bianca there with the two of them.

Once they were decently far away Acacia turned to Thalia, " Ummm if you don't mind me asking, why do you have such a big problem with Zoe and the Hunters?"

Thalia let out a tired sigh, making Acacia worry that she shouldn't have asked, it must've been clear from her expression that she was worried because Thalia just shook her head "No it's fine just a bit of a long story." She went on to explain about her, Luke and Annabeth living as runaways, about how they'd met the hunters and she'd been offered a spot but not wanting to leave Luke. How Zoe had told her that one day he'd betray her.

" Luke that's the guy at the head of the Kronos faction right?"

" Yeah…"

Acacia lets out a sigh and sips her decaf before saying " I'm sorry to hear that."

Thalia honestly looked surprised " What no comment about how Zoe was right?"

She just shakes her head and with a voice heavy with sadness she responds. " He was family right, not just in the way that you're related by the gods but he was family wasn't he? I know what it's like when the ones who're supposed to be family turn on you."

After that they were both quiet other than when Thalia asked people about ways to get out of town. Suddenly Acacia stopped almost dropping her coffee she turns to Thalia " We have to get back to the others now!" And she grabs her hand running back to the others.

" What? Why?" Thalia asks confused running alongside her.

" I smell them the skeleton."

Thalia doesn't respond but just picks up the pace

As they approached they saw Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow. The others gathered around him and trying to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.

"Hey!" Thalia said, running up from the street. "I just… What's wrong with Grover?"

"I don't know," Percy said. "He collapsed."

"Uuuuuhhhh," Grover groaned.

"Well, get him up!" Thalia said. She had her spear in her hand. She looked behind her to see if the skeletons were already there. "We have to get out of here."

They'd made it to the edge of town when they met the skeletons, four of them surrounding them. Acacia had her Scythe out wary of the guns in their hands, she'd seen enough mortal hunters to know how much damage they could do.

Percy charged at one deflecting a bullet with his blade and cutting it down disarming the other next to it before it could fire but then he was suddenly shot in the back by the other two, falling into the snow however there was no blood, his lion coat was bullet proof.

After a bit of a melee where Percy, Thalia and Acacia kept cutting at the skeletons while Bianca and Zoe fired arrows, all of which did nothing as even if a skeleton was cut down it just reformed. It wasn't until one of the Skeletons went for Bianca that anything of interest happened. She stabbed it and it burst into flames turning to ashes and not reforming. She tried again to no avail but it gave Acacia and idea.

" Step back!" she shouted to Percy and Thalia and she twirled her scythe in a circle before shouting " ανάβω!" and slashing two of them with a wide sweep of her scythe, the black blade glowing slightly orange and trailing fire. This didn't quite have the same effect as the piles of bones were reforming but much more slowly. " Dammit can't make a fire hot enough." she growls out. But then there was a sudden gust and even years later she wouldn't forget the feeling. It was as if wildness incarnate had just blown past them, she arched her back, hair bristling and even shivering from the sensation letting out a throaty growl.

Suddenly a loud squeal rang out and a massive boar slammed into the one remaining skeleton and the half reformed piles of bones scattering them along the mountain. The group had breathed a sigh of relief before the huge boar started chasing them and they had to split up, Grover kept shouting about how it was a blessing of the wild, which Acacia could honestly agree with.

After a tiring and protracted chase scene the boar was stuck in a snow drift and they all gathered around it. Grover managed to convince them it was a blessing and would be their ride west as they were getting on Percy asked Zoe if she knew what he meant by blessing.

"Of course," Zoe said. "Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong… I never thought I would sense that presence again."

"The closest I've felt to that was in the wildest more remote places so far removed from humans, and even then it was a mere fraction of a fraction of this." Acacia says remembering the feeling.

What presence?"

She stared at him like he was an idiot (which Acacia was starting to consider as an idea that had some merit.) "The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan."

They rode the boar into a desert until night fell and it stopped to drink some muddy water and eat some cactus, they got off as Grover instructed and the boar then ran off back the way it came.

" I think it likes the mountains more." Percy commented as the only sign of the boar became a dust cloud in the distance.

" I can't blame it." Thalia said, " Look."

Ahead of them was a two-lane road half covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be a town: a boarded-up house, a taco shop that looked like it hadn't been open since before Zoe Nightshade was born, and a white stucco post office with a sign that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA hanging crooked above the door. Beyond that was a range of hills. Then Acacia noticed they weren't hills, they were piled of scrap and junk, it was a massive junkyard.

"Something tells me we're not going to find a car rental here," Thalia said. She looked at Grover. "I don't suppose you got another wild boar up your sleeve?"

Grover was sniffing the wind, looking nervous. He fished out his acorns and threw them into the sand, then played his pipes. They rearranged themselves in a pattern that made no sense to me, but Grover looked concerned.

"That's us," he said. "Those six nuts right there."

"Which one is me?" I asked.

"The little deformed one," Zoe suggested.

"Oh, shut up."

"That cluster right there," Grover said, pointing to the left, "that's trouble."

"A monster?" Thalia asked.

Grover looked uneasy. "I don't smell anything, which doesn't make sense. But the acorns don't lie. Our next challenge…"

He pointed straight toward the junkyard. With the sunlight almost gone now, the hills of metal looked like something on an alien planet.

They decided to camp there for the night no one wanting to brave the junkyard in the dark. Zoe and Bianca got out six sleeping bags and foam mattresses from their bags, Acacia realized they must've used the same technique as their tents to stay so small. Speaking of tents she'd been sure she packed at least one but she couldn't find it. Grover and Percy collected some old wooden boards from the ruined house and Acacia used her fire spell to turn them into a nice campfire to warm them.

With nothing better to do the group of demigods, a demi monster, a satyr, and Zoe, who from her scent, although it was very very old, Acacia assumed was a nymph albeit not like the ones that made their home at the camp, ended up talking. This lead to a rather intriguing, if confusing for Acacia, conversation where they found out that Bianca, and by extension her brother Nico, were over 70 years old. Acacia didn't exactly get what was so strange about that considering Zoe was centuries old, and Thalia had been stuck as a tree and aged funny because of that, but before she could point any of those things out a deathly white limousine pulled up right next to them.

Before any of them could do anything the door opened and a sword was at Percy's throat. Acacia immediately felt angry and on guard instinctively transforming to hellhound form while others drew their weapons.

"Ares." Percy said.

" Jackson, I saw your fight with the Nemean Lion, letting tiny half monster girls do all the fighting for you?"

Acacia growled at him.

He just barely spares a glance at her direction and snaps his fingers " At ease, people." their weapons all drop and Acacia finds herself transformed back which she definitely didn't like.

"This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under my chin. "Of course I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."

"What lady?" Thalia asked.

Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back." He lowered his sword and pushed me away. "Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good

company."

"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes."

"We will not leave him alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"

"Go on," Percy told them. "I'll handle this."

I tried to sound more confident than I felt. I don't think Ares was fooled.

"You heard the boy," Ares said. "He's big and strong. He's got things under control."

They all turned to leave but Ares pointed at Acacia " You stay, for whatever reason she wants to meet you too."

Zoe scowled at this. " I am not leaving her here with you males."

" Please Zoe it'll be ok." Acacia pleads not wanting her to piss off a god.

Thalia puts a hand on Zoe's shoulder " C'mon let's go." She then turned to Acacia." I'll get you something from the taco place."

Acacia nodded in thanks as they all left, reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant. Ares regarded Percy with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.

"Get inside, punk," he said. "And mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am."

Acacia saw Percy enter and was left there in awkward silence with Ares before she remembered her manners and bowed to him. " Lord Ares." she says in greeting.

Ares just scoffs. " Hah no need for that crap with me, though at least you know when you're dealing with your betters unlike the sea spawn in there." He says nodding to the car. " Anyways I'll even commend you on your fight against the Nemean Lion, you're starting to get noticed up on Olympus, threw everyone into a big tiff when they learned about you, first half monster, even stopped a war when you were barely a year old."

This confused Acacia " huh stopping a war? What do you mean?" She asks confused, Ares didn't respond just snorting at her.

A few minutes later Percy came out looking all sorts of weird and Acacia was sent inside.

Everyone was waiting outside the limo for Acacia, Are's having pissed off Percy or maybe the other way around and he'd disappeared. Acacia eventually came out of the limo, it disappearing immediately after. She had an adorable pout on her face and looked very confused, though her hair looked much nicer still being in the same wavy sorta curly on the wild side style it looked much shinier, healthier and knot free.

" What happened what did Aphrodite say to you." Percy asked wondering what the goddess of love would have to say to a Hunter of Artemis.

She just keeps pouting and goes all red faced before saying. " she just she…. She made some weird high pitched sounds, called me adorable, hugged me and then just spent minutes brushing my hair while cooing."

Everyone, even Zoe, collapsed on the ground laughing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Really sorry about how long this took guys, with school and also me having to help with a festival at my school as well as rewriting parts of this multiple time it just kept dragging on. I do start work tomorrow and am not sure what my hours will be like but I will definitely try to post at least twice a month if not more.**

* * *

Acacia couldn't believe it, letting her scythe fall down to the ground she just stared at the rubble pile that was previously their enemy. She watched as the others futilely searched for Bianca so they may get to her in time to give her medical attention, Zoe, and oddly enough Percy, searching most frantically. She knew it was futile because she had felt her pass on, the barest tug on her own soul, as Bianca's departed, an ability carried in her blood, knowing her fellow Hunter had begun the journey that would lead past her father.

" Just stop, it's pointless." she murmured but no one could hear her.

" Come on Acacia help look for her if we can find her quick-" Percy started but then was cut off.

"IT'S POINTLESS SHE'S DEAD!" Acacia screamed out tears welling in her eyes, her heart feeling like it'd been stabbed after losing a member of her new family.

" What you can't know that for sure."

" Yes I can I felt her move on her soul in gone she's dead." Acacia cries out unable to bring herself to scream as her tears well and break, twin streams flowing down from her eyes. " She's gone…"

A couple of minutes later and Thalia had found them an old pickup that still worked, Acacia had elected to sit in the bed of the truck as she knew she wouldn't be able to stay in the closed off cab of the truck. To her surprise, but after it happened she thought that she should have expected it, Zoe sat there with her.

"Hey…" She says to her not being able to meet Zoe's eyes.

"Hello Acacia."

She doesn't respond just continues to stare up at the night sky.

" You can talk to me, I know what it's like."

Acacia was about to snap back at her before catching herself, Zoe did know what she felt like, she was a Hunter too and must've lost many people before. "D-does it…. I mean how do you… how do you deal with the hurt."

Zoe was again reminded that no matter her skills in battle or in the wild this girl was just that a girl, new to their world, new even to having people to care about, people who care about her. "It…. it will go away with time, that's all there is for it time, but the first the first death of a comrade, of family, is the worst it'll get easier."

She shakes her head " I don't want it to get easier." she says with teary eyes " That just means I'd have had more deaths to get used to."

"Acacia…. It's…. Not really something you can avoid, even if no one in the Hunt dies, which will happen we live dangerous lives, you're immortal now, even with how little the hunt interacts with non immortals, you'll likely get attached to some over the years and well… like I said they won't be immortals."

" I know but just I-I" she closes her eyes tears sliding down her cheek " I should've done more to save her if I'd just tried harder I could've."

"There was nothing more you could've done, the oracle even spoke of it _one shall be lost in the land without rain_ "

"I don't care about the prophecy if if if i'd just spent more time learning spells I'm sure there would be one in here that could've helped." she says hugging her grimoire close to her chest "If i'd just focused more I had it for 4 years and I learned next to nothing." she says looking at the book tears dropping onto its cover.

Zoe puts a hand on her shoulder. "Acacia, you have just became a Hunter, I have looked through some of that book to help translate some spells, there are warnings all over it about not trying things before you're ready, and it is not your fault, how could you have learned ancient greek on your own. The enemy we just faced, it would take the full company of hunters to take down, Percy and Thalia are some of the strongest half bloods i've seen being children of the eldest gods and even them, perhaps if we weren't in the desert but instead by the ocean with a thunderstorm then together they could've done something without casualties but even then those powers risk great collateral damage you cannot blame yourself. If anyone is at fault it is me, I am your lieutenant I am supposed to protect the two of you it was my decision to bring two green hunters with me, and given the option between you and someone else i'd still pick you, do you think anyone else could've helped like you did against the Nemean Lion."

Acacia didn't say anything and just sat there no longer looking up at the stars but down at herself looking worn out both physically and emotionally.

"Just get some rest, we do not know what we might find tomorrow." Zoe says but what she didn't expect was for Acacia to scoot closer to her and rest her head on Zoe's shoulder falling asleep quickly.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

Acacia woke a bit before dawn but the sky was lightening up. She just lets out a sigh and turns to Zoe, "How long was I asleep."

Zoe appeared startled, not by her waking up, but by Acacia's voice, the hollow tone it rang with.

Acacia asks again. " How long."

"Just a couple of hours."

She nods not saying anything else.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK

Acacia was still pretty much in the same state as they approached the Hoover Dam, however she was distracted from her gloom by the odd string of facts spouted by the campers in their group.

"Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said. "Built in the 1930s."

"Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.

Graver sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

Zoe stared at them. "How do you know all that?"

"Annabeth," Percy said. "She liked architecture."

"She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said.

"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying."

"I wish she were here," Percy said.

Acacia stopped walking and glanced down not being able to keep herself from thinking, 'at least you've got a chance to get your friend back.' she shook her head trying to clear her darker thoughts away, 'I've got to focus on saving Lady Artemis.'

She was very surprised when, as they were walking up to the dam she felt someone take her hand. Turning to her side she was the concerned daughter of Zeus holding her hand. What surprised her the most was how it calmed her down.

" Are you ok?" Thalia says quietly to her, so only she could hear.

" Yeah why?"

Thalia frowns and using her free hand wipes under both of Acacia's eyes. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

" Thanks." Acacia says still a bit shocked.

Thalia just smiles and shrugs, " What are friends for, now c'mon we should catch up to the others." she says before walking a bit faster, pulling Acacia along to catch up to the others ahead of them.

"Are the skeletons close?" They hear Percy ask Grover as they approach the group.

"Maybe not close. The wind on the dam, the desert all around us… the scent can probably carry for miles. But it's coming from several directions. I don't like that."

Acacia didn't like that either but she was focusing on figuring out what she was sensing here. "A spark of divinity," she mutters to herself.

"Huh?" Zoe asks, overhearing her and turning to look at the young hybrid, this caught the attention of the others.

"I feel a certain… I can't explain it in any way other than a spark of divinity, definitely from one of the Olympians, can't quite tell which, maybe a more powerful minor god, not Lord Hades I think I'd be able to tell considering my parentage. But… It's faint, could be a god or goddess disguised in human form, or a trace of one who passed by. There is also something older, an echo of energy I don't really know what that is though."

" Do you think this spark could be a trace of our Lady?"

She shrugs, " It could be sorry I can't really tell, the only reason I'm able to sense it at all is because of how many Olympians I've met recently, they all tend to have a similar underlying note to their energy, though Lady Aphrodite-" She shudders a bit, cheeks reddening at the embarrassing memory of when she met the love goddess. "she felt different than the others."

"That makes sense she was created when parts of Ouranos were thrown into the sea right?" Thalia asks.

Zoe nods, "regardless if you cannot tell who it is, it is still a worthwhile sign that we are heading in the right direction, let us continue."

"There is a snack bar at the visitor's center we should get something to eat."

"You've been here before here before?" Percy asks Thalia.

"Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. They looked kind of like Oscar statues with wings. "They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Thalia said. "A gift from Athena."

Tourists were clustered around them, seemingly looking at the statue's' feet.

"Er what are they doing?" Acacia asks.

"Rubbing the toes, they think it's good luck."

"Mortals are weird." Acacia says munching on the last bit of her Jerky.

LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK THIS IS A LINE BREAK IT BREAKS LINES

Acacia had begun thinking that her being very confused was going to be a common thing on this quest.

She'd been enjoying something called a burrito, having ignored the brief bout of insanity and giggling that the others suffered whenever they said the word 'dam' but also being too hungry to be confused like Zoe was. Grover had mentioned a cow which did catch her attention, she had once found a cow and it was very tasty and provided her with a lot of food but once she figured out that he was just being weird she just headed to the snack bar early, getting her food.

She was glad she'd done that because she'd managed to finish half her Burrito before the skeletons showed up again and Grover started a surprisingly effective food fight. After some praying to her dad, Thalia managed to get them a ride of sorts and they were now flying in the arms of the angel statues. She and Zoe had been having a bit of an archery competition shooting the signs of Target stores, Zoe was crushing her but she didn't mind it was fun.

They hit a bit of a dry spell for stores while going over some mountains so she shouted to Percy. "So Athena was there?"

"Yeah I'm pretty sure." He shouted back from the other angel.

Zoe who was on the same angel as her turned and said, " Seems as if your senses did not lie."

She nods but still pouts a bit, " I'd been hoping it was a trace of Lady Artemis."

"Worry not, we need only follow Lord Apollo's advice, as annoying as he is he cares much for his sister, we must continue to San Francisco and find Nereus. In fact I believe you will be able to help us find him much faster."

"Huh? Why?"

Zoe actually smirks mischievously. "The only way to identify him is by his rather horrid smell."

Acacia was horrified by the prospect considering how good her nose is and just whimpers.

LINEBREAK LINEBREAK LINEBREAK BREAK DOWN THAT LINE

Zoe had been right Nereus, smelled horrible, at least she got to laugh at Percy dressed like a bum. After finally being subdued, Percy asked him where the monster Lady Artemis was hunting is.

"That's easy right here." He says pointing to the water at Percy's feet and turned into a goldfish swimming away.

"Bastard he tricked us." Percy shouted.

"Wait what is that." Thalia asked pointing to the water before they all heard a long moooo.

"Bessie not now." Percy said.

Acacia just began staring intently at the half serpent half cow that appeared in the water, tail wagging thinking to herself ' I wonder what it tastes like.'

"He says his name isn't Bessie." Grover chimes in.

"You can understand her . . . erm, him?" Percy asks.

Grover nods. "It's a very old form of animal speech, he says his name is ophiotaurus."

"Ophi- what?"

"Serpent bull in Greek." Thalia answers.

"Er he also asks not to let her," Grover points to Acacia, "eat him."

Everyone turns to look at Acacia who was still staring intently at Bessie. A few moments later she notices everyone looking at her, "What?"

" Acacia, you are not allowed to eat the serpent cow." Zoe says just sounding exasperated.

She pouts, " Aww why not, it's the monster Lady Artemis is chasing right, the bane of Olympus, if we eat it then it can't do anything." She says the last part grinning like a kid in a candy shop.

"The Ophiotaurus says Percy is its protector."

"No eating Bessie." Percy says looking rather adamant about it.

"What is it even doing here, how did you meet it Percy?" Thalia asks while trying to keep herself laughing from how Acacia is acting.

"I am a fool," Zoe said suddenly. "I know this story!"

"What story?"

"From the War of the Titans," she said. "My… my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for."

" What but Bessie is harmless what could he do?" Percy says defensively.

Zoe went on to tell us the story of the Ophiotaurus' sacrificial power, and the danger it could spell.

"We have to protect him," I told her. "If Luke gets hold of him—"

"Luke wouldn't hesitate," Thalia muttered. "The power to overthrow Olympus. That's… that's huge."

"Yes, it is, my dear," said a man's voice in a heavy French accent. "And it is a power you shall unleash."

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

They all looked up, they'd been so busy they'd gotten ambushed. Standing behind them was the manticore from the school.

The manticore explained to them what was to happen, how Thalia would make the decision to destroy Olympus the next day on her 16th birthday by sacrificing the Ophiotaurus

"You know it is the right choice," the manticore told her. "Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear." He then turns to Acacia, "And you, are you not on the wrong side, you have no Godly blood but that of a monster, do you honestly think Olympus will allow someone like you to continue existing? Join your kin on our side, you may even have the rest of the Ophiotaurus once it's entrails are sacrificed."

Acacia just growls at him drawing her sword and turning it into a scythe she twirls it before casting a banishing charm, the manticore not affected but the two humans with him knocked back.

"So be it you'll die now instead as opposed to being put down by Zeus, or perhaps we'll keep you to study how to make more hybrids."

Thalia looked dazed and uncertain tightening her grip on her spear.

"Thalia snap out of it!" Percy shouted.

"Foolish boy she knows what is right, join us and strike down at your father and the other gods, they've never helped you so why should you do them any favors."

" I-I don't…. All that power…." Thalia muttered to herself.

" Thalia please! We need your help." Acacia cries out.

This seemed to snap Thalia out of it as she stabs at the manticore who easily dodges.

"So be it if that is your choice." He snarls out sending a spike at her but it was sliced out of the air by Acacia's black scythe. The manticore snarls flinching slightly at the sight of the black metal, " Stygian Iron" he hissed.

"Sorry about that, thanks for snapping me out of it Acacia." Thalia says raising Aegis.

"Percy contact camp and make sure the Ophiotaurus gets to safety, we will hold it off." Zoe shouts readying her bow.

" What no I won't leave you behind."

" CONTACT CAMP THE MORTALS ARE GETTING UP." Zoe shouts at him as the mercenaries start to stand up after being knocked out by Acacia.

Percy looked conflicted but ran farther down the pier with Grover.

It was a tough battle, Thalia and Acacia barely able to block and dodge Dr. Thorn's spikes and Zoe keeping the mercs busy, it looked like they would soon get hit by either a spike or bullet when they smelled grapes and wine and an audible SNAP was heard, the sound of mortal minds breaking.

One of the mercs held his gun with his mouth and ran around on all fours, others dancing. It was a funny and yet terrifying sound. The planks underneath the manticore's paw erupted into grape vines starting to ensnare him but he only had one foot on the pier so while it had him temporarily immobilised it wouldn't be enough to kill him.

They heard Percy shout behind them, "Mr. D it isn't enough he's getting free!"

"Well you have weapons do you not Peter Johnson, as you seem to be incapable of using your brains, use your blades." The unmistakable voice of the camp director was heard through the iris message Percy was using.

Acacia took his advice to heart and teleporting to the manticores shadow she hooked her scythe on its neck and with a pull decapitated the beast, but instead of it turning into golden dust it seemed to melt into shadows, absorbed by the blade. Acacia then turned back to the others and walked over to the iris message bowing to Mr. D " Thank you Lord Dionysus, we owe you our lives."

"Hmph don't make me regret it miss Potter, though at least you respect your betters."

"Mr. D can you help us transport Bessie?" Percy asks like an idiot.

"I do not deal in livestock Johnson."

"But where do we go?"

Dionysus looked at Zoe. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting." He says before cutting off the call.

" What does he mean? Where do we need to go Zoe?" Thalia asks still not calmed down from the fight.

Zoe's face was the color of the fog. She pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer.

"The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home."

* * *

 **So as you can see the relationship between thalia and acacia is progressing, it isn't really to the point of romance yet. They're definitely getting closer though and just due to who each of them is it isn't growing in the same way,** **they both at least to some level care for eachother more than just questmates, not really romantic yet currently more of a sort of emotional codependency maybe? they both have had bad pasts with their family and both were alone for a very long time and now have to re-enter society and are trying to build a life for themselves and both are on this quest to get back someone they see as family, while artemis hasn't really interacted with Acacia more than once, just what she's done and with Acacia joining the hunt artemis is as close to a maternal figure as she could get while Thalia is after annabeth who is her little sister and even in away luke who she sees as her brother. After this quest they'll have more time to properly get to know eachother and grow closer more naturally. Will start working on the next chapter as soon as possible hope to get it done soon for you guys, next chapter will probably just continue from where they left off here to the end of the fight on the mountain though depending on the length of that I may put in the meeting with the Olympian council too, I just don't feel comfortable posting anything below 2,000 words.**


End file.
